NZEI welcomes special education needs inquiry

&NewLine;<p><img class&equals;" alignright size-full wp-image-1721" src&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;schoolnewsnz&period;fastrackdev&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2015&sol;08&sol;SND18-wk4-Special&lowbar;Needs-Louise&lowbar;Green1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"SND18-wk4-Special Needs-Louise Green1" style&equals;"margin&colon; 5px&semi; float&colon; right&semi;" width&equals;"300" height&equals;"199" &sol;>NZEI has welcomed the announcement of an Education and Science Select Committee Inquiry into support for students with dyslexic&comma; dyspraxic&comma; and autism spectrum disorders&period; <&excl;--more--> <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>National president Louise Green says there is a chronic shortage of support for students with special needs and schools struggle to find the resources to help these students succeed at school&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;There is no targeted funding from the Ministry of Education to support students with dyslexia and dyspraxia&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;This means that most schools fund extra teacher aides and other support needed from their Special Education Grants and through fund raising&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;The Special Education Grant is insufficient in most cases to meet the needs of these students and that&&num;8217&semi;s why schools have to raise funds locally&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Ms Green says teachers&comma; principals and support staff desperately need extra support for these children&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;We need more resources for professional development for teachers as well as extra funding for more teacher aides and other help such as specialised programmes&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p><&sol;p>&NewLine;